If you are missing any teeth, implants are the gold standard for longevity and esthetics. You can expect a long life from you implants, which will be placed in your jawbone, just like a natural tooth root is. Once placed, a dental crown is put on top of them and will act just like natural teeth.
Types of Dental Implants
The most common type of implant is endosteal. These implants act just like natural teeth, rooting themselves in the jawbone in order to support a crown just like a natural tooth.
Procedure
Getting implants is not something that just happens overnight. You need to prepare yourself for a 4-6 month process. Once the implant has been treatment planned and designed, you’ll come in for placement of the implant. After placement of the implant, it takes about 4 months for your jawbone to accept and integrate with the implant. This process is called osseointegration.
After the 4 months of healing and osseointegration, the next phase of treatment can be started. In this phase, an impression of your implant will be taken with a special device inserted into the implant, so the lab can make the perfect crown for your implant. The lab uses the impression to make a crown that will attach to the implant, either by cement or a screw.
In order to get dental implants, you’ll need to meet a few criteria. The most important is to have enough bone to hold the implant in place. Along with having sufficient bone, they need a healthy oral cavity. This means no gum disease and a proven track record of good hygiene habits: Brushing and especially flossing. Smoking is all but a guarantee that your implant will fail.
For people who don’t meet these criteria, a dental bridge or partial denture may be recommended.
Why should I get an Implant?
Some of the obvious benefits to getting dental implants include:
- Better chewing function
- More natural appearance
- Improved speech
- Comfort – Your gums are less likely to get stabbed by sharp foods
- Oral Health – It’s easier to floss an implant vs. a bridge or other solutions
- Durability – With proper care, your implant can last your whole lifetime
Risks
Any surgery always comes with risks and possible problems. Dental implants are no exception to this. The most common complications associated with dental implants are:
- Abscesses and infection around the implant
- Nerve Damage
- Broken teeth around the implant
- Implant Rejection
- Sinus Perforation
Post Op Care
After you get your implant placed, you’re not finished. Implants require careful at home care to ensure a healthy long life for your new teeth.
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day, and floss around the implant regularly.
- Sugary, hard, and sticky food causes damage to your implant and may loosen the crown
- Smoking is almost a guarantee that your implant will fail to integrate with your jaw bone. Don’t smoke please.
- Don’t put off your regular dental visits. Each visit your dentist will look at the implant and make sure everything is looking strong and healthy.
Implants usually cost a bit more than other tooth replacement options, but for good reason. They require a more precise surgical technique by the dentist, and provide a longer lasting, more esthetic, and less frustrating result for the patient. The cost is usually split so that the first payment is made when the implant is placed in the jaw bone, and the second payment 4-6 months later when it’s time to put the crown on the implant. This helps ease the burden of the higher cost of this treatment.